Hydrogen Leak Detector with Dual-Sensor Gas Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen leak detectors are non-selective and unable to accurately detect hydrogen in the presence of other gases, particularly in mixed natural gas and hydrogen systems, leading to inaccurate measurements and difficulty in compensating for interfering gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen leak detector comprising a hydrogen selective gas sensor and a hydrogen sensitive but non-selective gas sensor, with the latter calibrated using the former to compensate for ambient gas concentrations, allowing accurate detection across a wide range of hydrogen concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a non-selective hydrogen sensitive sensor is used to detect hydrogen, then the detection range is extended to higher concentrations, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to interference from other gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor
Solution Approach 1:
The detection range is segmented into two parts: low concentration detection (0-20 vol% H2) handled by the selective sensor, and high concentration detection (20-100 vol% H2) handled by the non-selective sensor. This segmentation allows each sensor to operate in its optimal range, maintaining precision while extending overall adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The selective hydrogen sensor acts as an intermediary that identifies the presence and concentration of hydrogen in the mixed gas. This information serves as a mediator to guide the non-selective sensor's measurement, allowing the system to compensate for interfering gases and achieve accurate hydrogen concentration measurements across the full range.
2Measurement precision
If a selective hydrogen sensor is used to ensure measurement precision, then the accuracy of hydrogen concentration detection is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates due to saturation at higher concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The detection range is segmented into two parts: low concentration detection (0-20 vol% H2) handled by the selective sensor, and high concentration detection (20-100 vol% H2) handled by the non-selective sensor. This segmentation allows each sensor to operate in its optimal range, maintaining precision while extending overall adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines two sensors with different characteristics to create a multi-functional detection system. The selective sensor provides precise low-concentration detection, while the non-selective sensor provides broad-range detection. Together, they create a universal detector that handles both precision and range requirements.
3Measurement precision
If conventional NDIR or TDLAS infrared sensors are used to detect natural gas components, then the detection precision for methane is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates because these sensors cannot detect hydrogen
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges an infrared sensor (NDIR or TDLAS) capable of detecting methane with a hydrogen sensor (selective or non-selective). This combination creates a multi-gas detection system that can simultaneously measure both methane and hydrogen concentrations in the mixed gas, achieving both precision for specific gases and versatility for multiple gas types.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate hydrogen leak detection in hydrogen and natural gas mixtures by compensating for interfering gases, extending the detection range beyond the limitations of non-selective sensors, and providing precise hydrogen concentration measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a first gas sensor (24) being hydrogen selective and adapted to react to a first range of relatively low hydrogen concentrations
Implementation Method 2
a second gas sensor (26) being hydrogen sensitive and non-selective to hydrogen, and sensitive to at least one further secondary gas different from hydrogen
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum pump (16) connected to the gas conduction path (18) and adapted to move gas through the gas conduction path (18) from the ambient environment to the gas sensors (24, 26)
Implementation Method 4
a computing device (20) electronically connected to the gas sensors (24, 26) and adapted to compensate for concentrations of the at least one secondary gas in a measurement signal from the first gas sensor (24) on the basis of a measurement signal from the second gas sensor (26)
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
Hydrogen leak detector (10) for detecting leaks in hydrogen gas conducting components, comprising a hydrogen gas detector (20) adapted to measure the concentration of hydrogen gas in the gas within a gas conduction path (18), said hydrogen gas detector (20) comprises a first gas sensor (24) being hydrogen selective and adapted to react to a first range of relatively low hydrogen concentrations below a first threshold, and a second gas sensor (26) being hydrogen sensitive and non-selective to hydrogen, and sensitive to at least one further secondary gas different from hydrogen, and being adapted to react to a second range of relatively higher hydrogen concentrations above the first threshold, wherein the hydrogen leak detector (10) is adapted to calibrate the second gas sensor (26) for low concentrations of hydrogen which are present in the ambient atmosphere of the hydrogen gas detector (20) and which do or do not originate from a leak in a hydrogen gas conducting component under test, by measuring the hydrogen concentration in a measured gas taken from the ambient atmosphere with the first gas sensor (24) and with the second gas sensor (26), and by assigning the measurement signal of the second gas sensor (26) of said measured gas to correspond to a concentration which does not originate from a leak in a hydrogen gas conducting component under test, if the measurement signal of the first sensor (24) of said measured gas indicates a hydrogen concentration below a predetermined value, and wherein a hydrogen leak is considered as present in a hydrogen gas conducting component under test if the second gas sensor (26) indicates a hydrogen concentration above a second threshold.